Nicaragua 2011- Student Blog

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Hola Family and Friends!

Wow! I can’t believe it is Day 9. Time flies when you are having fun!

What a day! We made it up the volcano, Maderas, which was 1,394 meters. This was definitely the part of the trip that I was the most nervous about and didn’t think I could accomplish. I am so proud of myself for making it up and back. It was a remarkable experience and indescribable. We saw so many things while hiking the volcano. There were howler monkeys, a beautiful cloud forest, and a large crater at the top with a lake to name a few. It took us 4 hours to get to the crater of the volcano and took us five hours to get down. The way down took so long because it was wet as well as downhill. There are pictures to describe how muddy we got. We were talking to our guide and he said that he can make it up and down the volcano, roundtrip, in three hours! My chin just dropped. But we hiked the volcano very well for twelve people in 9 hours. The group overall did very well! Everyone was very positive and lifting people up when necessary, both physically and emotionally. Everyone was very tired and we are ready for a relaxing evening. And, tomorrow, we are off to Buena Vista Surf Club for some much needed R &R! 3 days left! I get to see you all very soon! J

Katie Beinstein ‘12

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

My mom would be mad if I went the entire trip without blogging, so here we go! This one’s for you, mom.  Writing this blog seems to be so much effort after the day we had climbing the volcano.   We started early at 6:30 with the biggest breakfast we could stomach before our trek began.  After an afternoon and night of rain the trail was extremely slippery and muddy which made the 9 hour trip even more difficult than it usually is.  The walking we did all week has gotten us in shape for the long and torturous hike. For most of the trip today, we were walking through a cloud forest, that was a once in a lifetime experience.  Filled with exotic animals and plant-life, the whole hike was extraordinary.  Mom, please have some chicken parm, salad, and breadsticks waiting at home, por favor…I’ve earned it!

Love you

Dan Ennis ‘12

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

As our work with Project Bona Fide and the Mano Amiga Community Center here in Balgue comes to a close, I am reminded of the African proverb “It takes a village…”   Through those we have worked with, I am reminded that the “village” can be a very big one; in fact, global!  While working with programs that provide health, education, and agricultural services to the community of Balgue, we have met passionate and hard-working individuals from around the world:  Germany, Australia, Costa Rica, Northern California, Sweden, Nicaragua (of course), and Jersey (the island…not the state).  Our group from the Mount, along with Chris and Carolyn Judd, added to the cohort representing Frederick County, Maryland!  Through our time with Project Bona Fide and the community center, we were able to see responsible community partnerships at its best.  Though these programs have volunteers from around the world, they are deeply rooted in the local community of Balgue.   The expertise, needs, ideas, and concerns of those who live here are utilized to their fullest potential and truly drive the work that is being done.  Isabella, Carols, Harmin, Roberto, and the many other individuals and families have dedicated their lives to programs that provide assistance to their community.   Not only is there good work being done, but it is being done in the right way; and we are grateful to be able to spend time working with and learning from all of these inspiring people.

Shawn Rice ‘12

Sunday, January 9, 2011

We continued our work at the community center by finishing the brick wall, completing half the painting of the upstairs, finishing most of the garden beds out front, and Katie and Mary-Kate made the keystone for part of the brick oven. This was a really good experience that allowed us to see more of the culture and community through our broken conversations with the local people working at the site.

Harmin, the brick layer, knew only a little English, and most of us only knowing a little Spanish, I thought we would have a hard time working together. However, by the end of the day we grew to understand each other very well easily making jokes and learning tricks of the trade. There were even some local children who came by to help paint.  At the end of the day we said our goodbyes and took a group picture in front of the center with everyone who worked for the project. Sunday was also special because it gave me, Kevin, Elise, and Emma the chance to experience the culture and community more by attending a local mass. This was a very interesting experience and also special to see, because even though the mass was in a language I didn’t understand, I was still able to follow along. It was also amazing to really see that all over the world people from other countries, languages, and cultures celebrate mass in a similar way sharing in the same faith.

After mass we hurried over to the annual rodeo festival that was being celebrated that whole weekend, close to 280 people from all over the island came out to celebrate and watch the rodeo.  This was like nothing I had ever seen before!  A huge ring with people in it, and stands built all around filled with people with a loud speaker blaring. They brought out bulls and let locals ride, whoever was brave enough, which usually only last a few seconds until the bull gave up or the rider was bucked. Everyone, including our group, cheered from the excitement of the rodeo!

Shawn Rice ‘12

Sunday, January 9, 2011

The second day of service started out early for half of us as we woke up before breakfast to walk a block down the street to watch a program they have in Balgue for the children. It was just a block down the street when we walked into the house of a woman named Isabella. She takes in between 12 and 15 children every morning. She hands out toothbrushes and a cup of water to each child when they finish brushing their teeth they each get a bowl with one egg and a cup of milk. After all the children ate they received a vitamin which we had brought for them. It is so amazing to see how something as simple as brushing teeth is something that not all people have and it really touched me to see all the kids so excited to have their own toothbrush.

After watching that program which takes place 6 days a week we met up with everyone else for breakfast before we started our second day of service which took place at the community center. At the center we were divided into groups and I was in a painting group with Emma and Kevin. We took all the bookshelves in their library and painted them. After lunch we were given new assignments. The second half of the day my group was shoveling dirt, picking through the rocks, and then mulching in the garden out front of the community center. Once we finished work for the day we had time to explore the colorful town and attend the first of a two day festival in which there was bull riding, music, and laughter. We had dinner at Mi Tierra, where we are staying, and went to bed listing to the music of the festival that went late into the night.

This trip has been such an experience up till this point and I think is teaching us all a lot about not only ourselves but about a culture completely different from our own. The people here are so full of life and happy with what they have it makes me personally realize how much I appreciate what I do have. Most importantly it has taught me to enjoy things as they come and take advantage of life while you can.

Amanda Cooper ‘11

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Sunday we continued our work at the community center by finishing the brick wall, completing half the painting of the upstairs, finishing most of the garden beds out front, and Katie and Mary-Kate made the keystone for part of the brick oven. This was a really good experience that allowed us to see more of the culture and community through our broken conversations with the local people working at the site.

Harmin, the brick layer, knew only a little English, and most of us only knowing a little Spanish, I thought we would have a hard time working together. However, by the end of the day we grew to understand each other very well easily making jokes and learning tricks of the trade. There were even some local children who came by to help paint.  At the end of the day we said our goodbyes and took a group picture in front of the center with everyone who worked for the project.

Sunday was also special because it gave me, Kevin, Elise, and Emma the chance to experience the culture and community more by attending a local mass. This was a very interesting experience and also special to see, because even though the mass was in a language I didn’t understand, I was still able to follow along. It was also amazing to really see that all over the world people from other countries, languages, and cultures celebrate mass in a similar way sharing in the same faith.

 After mass we hurried over to the annual rodeo festival that was being celebrated that whole weekend, close to 280 people from all over the island came out to celebrate and watch the rodeo.  This was like nothing I had ever seen before!  A huge ring with people in it, and stands built all around filled with people with a loud speaker blaring. They brought out bulls and let locals ride, whoever was brave enough, which usually only last a few seconds until the bull gave up or the rider was bucked. Everyone, including our group, cheered from the excitement of the rodeo!

Shawn Rice ‘12

Friday, January 7, 2011

Hola from Nicaragua!

Today was a semi-challenging day. We started off with a great breakfast which fueled us up for Day 1 of the service portion of our trip.

We went to the Bona Fide Farm where the main goal is to try to create a perma-culture forest of trees where different trees and animals work in synchronicity to produce difference foods in the most efficient ways. We learned a lot about the farm and about all of the hard work the people who are part of the project put in to create this environment. Then the real fun started when they put us to work.

They split us into groups and my group’s first task was to mulch all the different kinds of trees. This was basically taking all of the surrounding dead grass and leaves and mounding it around the tree. The purpose was to not only give nutrients to the plants but to help water to collect so the plants don’t have to be watered constantly. We learned so much about the different kinds of plants the produce and I was able to taste all sorts of new thinks like a cacao bean and a jack fruit.

It was so cool to see how much the people who worked there care about what they are trying to do.

Some stories we heard were of people who came to the farm, fell in love, and have not left it. The amount of knowledge and hard work that goes into helping the people of Nicaragua is inspiring and makes you really think about your life.

I am really impressed with these people who are giving a huge part of their lives in an effort to make the lives of others much more comfortable.   

Mary Kate Coleman ‘14

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

It has been three days, one of traveling and two of adventure, since being in Nicaragua and it has already been anything but incredible.

What has been at the center of this trip for me and for many of the participants has been the simplistic nature of this place. Everything we have done and experienced as a group has been quite simple and it is because of this uncomplicated way of doing things that we have been able to grow and reflect more deeply on our experiences here.

Looking at Volcano Conception has been one of the more eye-opening experiences for me. By looking at this untarnished mountain it is much easier to reflect on the beauty of this place. Back home we are constantly trying to improve and develop further and while this is all well and good it can, at times, take away from the true beauty of a place.

Through the simplistic environment and culture around me I have been able to cultivate a much better appreciation for the many things I take for granted in my day-to-day life. It is our over-complicated lifestyles that tend to cloud our appreciation for the world around us and it is the simplistic and appreciative nature of the Nicaraguan culture that I hope to take back to the States.  

-Kevin Abdo ‘11

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

The world is so big! Being here in Nicaragua so far has been completely … unreal. Today we really got to see what Nicaragua used to be like before any sort of development or farming happened; it was literally a jungle.

I had the chance to see so many things from strange bugs, to fascinating trees, to volcanic rock, to monkeys! To make it even better we then walked to a place called “ojo de agua”, the eye of water. It is a cold spring that comes up from underground that is filtered by the volcanoes. The clear secluded water found in the middle of the forest was just another day at the swimming pool for the locals, but for me it was a paradise. When we returned to hotel el encanto we enjoyed conversation and coffee while watching the sunset next to the volcano conception.

Someone pinch me, this must be a dream.

-Rachael Scarola,‘12

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Our first day of adventure began early with a delicious breakfast of fruit, toast, eggs, and coffee at 7am in the restaurant at El Encanto where we are staying.

We all enjoyed taking in the fabulous view of the volcano, Conception, from the porch of the restaurant.  Following our early morning meal, we piled into our small van and once again endured a VERY bumpy 30-45 minute drive to the coast.   It allowed us to view our immediate surroundings in some daylight.  We passed many homes along the road which are quite different from those we are accustomed to living in.  Some of them were simply small wood and straw structures with minimal basic furnishings, yet housed entire families.  We waved out the windows to the people we passed along the way.

Once we reached the coast, we all packed into kayaks in pairs of two and paddled on Lake Nicaragua, also venturing off onto some smaller rivers.  The trip afforded us a phenomenal view of the volcano.  We saw a wide variety of plant-life, birds, monkeys and some of us, at one point, even snagged a glimpse of an alligator!  We paddled for about 3 hours which was quite strenuous and essentially, exhausting by the end.  Luckily, the last portion of our kayak trip Amanda and I were able to paddle alongside one of our 2 guides, Rafael.  He kept us positive as we got increasingly tired.  I was able to finally practice my Spanish at length by speaking to Rafael.  We shared stories about our homes, jobs, and families.  We chatted so much that the remainder of our trek flew by, and before we knew it we were back on shore eating lunch.  We enjoyed a great meal of eggplant parm and spaghetti which Carlos, the owner of El Encanto sent along on our trip with us.  We also ate some incredibly delicious locally grown bananas.  It was a welcomed refueling after our challenging morning activity.

Elise Radziwill ‘11

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Hola!

After our challenging (but fun) Kayaking, we headed back to the van that would take us to our next adventure: a three kilometer hike up Maderas to a 180 foot waterfall! Once again everything surrounding us was SO beautiful! The trail, made up of some narrow rocky slopes was challenging, but everyone remained in good spirits as we trekked through the tropical jungle. Along the way were signs pointing us in the direction of the waterfall (all of which were very reassuring!).

The strenuous hike required us to take several breaks, including one spot where we could see the waterfall far away in the distance. The end of the trail was mostly large rocks and narrow path, and we were unsure if we would ever arrive.  Finally, as we rounded the final curve of the trail, there stood the breathtaking waterfall! We quickly took our shoes off and dove into the cooling waters!  It is hard to describe how actually amazing it was. I think it’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen- I didn’t want to leave. It was especially rewarding after the long hike! After many pictures and taking our time in the fall, we headed back down the trail and loaded up into the Taxi back to Hotel Encanto for another incredible meal and relaxing in the hammocks outside of our rooms.

Overall today was an AWESOME day, full of challenges and adventure. Although I’ve only been here a very short time- I feel as if I never want to leave! I look forward to what lay ahead in this BEAUTIFUL country!

Adios Amigos

-Emma Haley ‘11

Monday, January 3, 2011

Our trip began at the Mount at 2:30 a.m. when we departed for Reagan International Airport. From there we flew to Miami, then from Miami to Managua. Once we landed in Managua, which is the capital city of Nicaragua, we took two vans to the ferry port.

When everyone walked outside we were welcomed by the tropical heat. It was a nice change from the January weather we were experiencing back in Maryland. Looking outside the windows of the vans, we noticed a vibrant city filled with color and people. We also noticed that many of the people were living in poverty. It definitely made us think about how much we take for granted living in a comfortable society.

The van drivers drove fast as the local people hustled about their daily business. We had to take a ferry because the place we are staying is on an island called Ometepe. We luckily made the ferry departure on time, and climbed to the top of the ferry with all of our belongings in hand. The view was absolutely stunning. We could see the two volcanoes that make up Ometepe from a distance and the water of Lake Nicaragua was beautiful. The choppy water made the ferry ride difficult for some of us who get sea sick easily.

Our friend Kevin began to feel queasy on the ferry ride, but kept it together. Once we got off the ferry, we were greeted by our next mode transportation which was another set of vans. The island of Ometepe was also beautiful, but also much poorer. The roads were not paved and they were very bumpy.  On the way to El Encanto, the camp we are staying at, one of the vans got a flat tire because the roads were so rough. We arrived at the camp and after a long day of travel ate a great meal and enjoyed a well deserved good night sleep.

Sean Kearney ‘11